Merax FT323 Mountain Bike 24 Speed Front Suspension Aluminum Frame MTB Bicycle - 26 inch

I've been looking for a bike for a few months and after studying all of the models under $400 decided to go with this one. I am very glad that I did as it is worth every penny. First off, many of the reviews of bikes in this price range have mentioned missing or damaged parts, bikes having to be brought to a bike shop to address brake issues, derailleurs not shifting correctly, etc. I can tell you this bike came so carefully packed in a reinforced box that not one component was scratched or damaged. Assembly was easy enough following included instructions. The front brake adjustment took me the longest because I was very anal about exactly where they brake shoes engaged the front rim, other wise no complaints, but as other reviewers have mentioned, check all fasteners to insure they are snug (I found 1 screw that was a brake handle return stop screw that was a bit loose, but that would not have been a safety issue).Minor issues: One link on the chain was binding a bit which I had to work free with some oil and back and forth movement to free up a bit more, but did not need replacement. This caused some skipping & noise which cleared up after I worked the kink free. The brake pedals are the cheapest component on the bike, but do function. The seat appeared to be of good quality, but I replaced it with a Bikeroo Seat that I had already broken in on another bike. Tires were not Kenda tires, but tread design was very similar.Highlights: Beautiful paint job, smooth shifting components, quality rims and brakes, fairly light weight (lighter than my steel former mountain bike), reinforced welds on bike frame makes for a sturdy bike that seems to respond better to rider input. Merax is a California based company that offers specialized signature products for home and fitness. Would absolutely buy this bike again!

I will update once I do more than a up n back.Assembly & Packaging - As you may see from the pictures, bike came pretty well padded and packed into a basic box. If you delivery people are rough/crazy I can see why people complain about scratches or issues as the packaging is for basic truck shipping not offroad delivery toss n drop situation.That said I had NO issues. I had all the required parts and it comes with a clever all purpose key/wrench tool. Yes - you can assemble the bike using JUST the tools in the packaging but it would take extra time and honestly your hand will hurt. Use regular tool set.The instructions weren't great and the front tire assembly instructions are well basically "attach tire". For people who do not have experience with this style of bike setup and brakes. Do not freak out. Get the basic bike assembled and just take it to your local bike shop. Pay the $20 to have them test brake settings and check gear cables basic safety check everything.I had pretty much everything assembled and tightened but with all the reviews I was worried about gear and brakes, turns out the bike came pretty well setup after to tighten everything l, now my basic bike knowledge and tire alignment skills from childhood may have helped, but I do not feel I did anything beyond beginner level mechanic assembly. BUT again instructions we only minimal help but they did help once I slowed down and read steps in order.I have NOT done any real riding yet and thanks to Pandemic I need to lose weight, so after my biking and camping trip I will update this review if my booty or bike setup recommendations change. At this point though the only two things I expect need adjusting is handlebar and seat height.

First things first , I don't make youtube videos where im screaming down a cliff or running through a forest track made of timber berms and table tops. With that said this bike is perfect for my daily off and on road rides . It is nowhere near as costly as some higher end bikes but you still get a lot of the comfort and performance out of it. Even though this bike does not have disc brakes the stopping power is amazing compared to normal side pull dia compe brakes from back in the day. This bike is simple to put together and the derailer required no adjustment at all. The full suspension offers a really comfortable ride. If I had to change anything it would have to be the seat , but I think a person could say that about almost any bike on the market. All around a great bike for the money IMO....

Initially, I loved the bike but after two months. I started seeing similar issues that were mentioned in the reviews about the poor shifting and chain falling off. However, I did like the bike so I dealt with it but after changing a tire I started having more issues. The front derailleur bent and the rear derailed shifter broke after shifting gears. I had a bike shop take a look and it would cost me almost as much to fix it than what I paid for. I guess it’s time to look for a new bike.

The front brakes were incorrectly installed/ defective. Rather than being parallel to tire they were in wedge so that front tire could not be mounted. It brings into question quality control as it shows that there is no final check on whether bike is ridable or able to assemble. Like test driving a car after assembly. Made me question the total quality of product. Customer service was difficult to contact and did not have great concern for issue. It wasn't until I contacted Amazon to return bike that they contacted me with any solution They offered that I could take bile to shop for repair. New bike needing repair? At this time I had already packed up bike for return. Returned defective bike at my expense. No offer from them to pay shipping of lemon. Expensive lesson with third party sellers.

We love everything about this bike. Easy to assemble. Clearly a well thought out design. Responsive gears and breaks. Great customer service.

Have not used yet fairly easy to put together bought seat cover don’t want anymore kids so if you want kids get seat cover or your done for!Has suspension cheap bike to get around check tires both were 35psi needs 50+